Limerick Choral Festival plans to welcome 40 choirs to the city

The Ardú Vocal Ensemble who will perform the opening concert for the Limerick Choral Festival at St Mary’s Cathedral on Friday, March 2

THE Limerick Choral Festival returns this week and promises to be a “wonderful weekend of choral music of the highest standards”, according to organisers.

The 2018 annual festival takes place from March 2 to 4 at various venues in the city, with a host of local, national and international choirs - some 40 in total - taking part at concerts in both cathedrals in the city, plus the Redemptorists, St Michael’s Church and the Sacred Heart Church.

“We are really looking forward to a wonderful weekend of choral music of the highest standards,” said Dr Michael O’Brien, president of the Limerick Choral Festival.

“It’s also wonderful this year to have both cathedrals on board - St Mary’s Cathedral for the opening concert on March 2 and St John’s Cathedral for the Church Choirs Competition on March 3,” he added.

Among the Limerick choirs taking part will be the Limerick Educate Together NS Choir, Thomond Primary School Choir, Crecora NS Choir, Limerick Gospel Choir, and Sacred Heart Church Choir.

The festival also features choirs from Clare, Galway, Kilkenny, Mayo, Offaly, Dublin, Cork, and Tipperary, performing a variety of choral pieces ranging from church/sacred music, gospel to early music and various contemporary compositions of all types.

One of the highlights, Dr O’Brien noted, will be the acappella group Ardú Vocal Ensemble from Dublin in St Mary’s on the Friday, who will be joined by the Limerick Chamber Choir for an unmissable showcase of sacred and secular choral music.

And on Sunday, the 80-strong Hudson High School Choir from Wisconsin will join with Limerick Youth Choir for a stirring performance.

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